The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-05-19
Billy.
Utica Observer.

1t was a boy of Z who provided last
Sundays fun in the pew of a city chnrch.
His elderly father has been equity this
spring and had a lot ofIeeches applied to
his refractory legs. After the innocent
leech had been used he put the little fell
low into a fish globe and made what he
called a barometer. He drew my atten-
ton to their peculiarities. When the
weather was fine the leeches were near
the top; when it was stormy they Rugged
the bottom; when it was windy they
went rafting around like circus riders.
One particularly large and active leech
was the boys favOrite. Johnny tished
him out with a paper cutter and named
him Billy. He fed him on the back of
the cooks neck and on his oldest sisters
pug dog. So Billy waxed lusty and very
hilarious. After hours of play Billy
would be put back with his relatives in
the fish bowl. Sunday found the small
boy at peace with all the world and anx
ious to share its pleasures. To that end
Billy was fished out of the bowl, i'm
prisoned in pomade pot, and carried
off to church.
The bows two maiden sisters were
taking all the bOnnets and thinking how
sweet their family doctor looked in
check suit, when they became conscious
that their little brother was cropping
around their feet.
..What is the matter with you:''
snopped the elder; ''sit up in your seat"
Il don't want to-" whimpered the
boy; Il want to find it.
wait till after church," suggested
the other lady, supposing it was china
alley or an agate
It'll be lost forever if | watt per-
sisted sonny, IAN l wouldn't lose him
for a dollar"
what is it YOU have LOST asked the
elder, as she grabbed the boy S hand, that
was travelling carefully up her garter.
BILLY; he's been gone some time,
said the boy, almost crying.
BILLY, the leech: gasped the horri-
fled woman.
do yer suppose it's Billy the Kid:
sneered the youngster-
Pale with terror and all the CHASTITY
possibilities of the accident, those two
women rose up and pushed out of the
church. The boy made a rapid search
of the hassocks and carpets. and with
sort of instinct rushed after his sisters he
overlook them in the vestibule. Mary
was clenching her clothes in the neigh
borhood of her waist and holding
her garments as far away as pos
sible. Martha was asking her in broken
tones if she thought she got it. Let
me see" says the yOungster. You ain [
so apt to have it as Martha, for she was
next to me when Billy skipped"
Martha, thus encouraged, gave yell
and clutched her hustle.
''Oh, dear, something stuck me like a
PIN" sobbed the disturbed maiden.
BILLY, for dOughnut," shouted the
wretched boy, as the blaze door swung
open and the people began to pour out.
What's the matter" asked an anx-
iOus parishionerof the disturbed maiden.
They re hunting Billy, my pet leech, :"
explained Bub; Il lost it loose in
church."
Amid great laughter the girls escaped
and flew on the wings of fear for the
paternal mansion. In less time than
they ever undressed before the ladies
dIsrobed and hunted for Billy.
1T must be back in church." groaned
the lad, as his sisters came down stairs
after the unsuccessful search.
Twenty minutes later, when the family
and few friends were sitting down TO
luncheon. there came a triumphal howl
from the boy: ''UnbuttOn me quick. it 5
Billy. got him myself all the time!''
And sure enough, Billy had ridden back
in safety to the seat of Johnny's little
knickerbockers-